Roxanne Pallett has shared a lengthy social media post in which she details her struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and panic disorder.

The actress, whose career was mortally damaged following a disastrous spell on Celebrity Big Brother in 2018, reached out to Instagram followers ahead of Mental Health Awareness Week on May 13.

Reflecting on her issues, for which she sought professional help, Roxanne, 36, cited a house-fire, domestic violence at the hands of an abusive boyfriend, the death of her grandmother and the devastating suicide of a close friend among their potential causes.

Opening up: Roxanne Pallet has shared a lengthy social media post in which she details her struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and panic disorder

She wrote: ‘I want to open up about some things you may not know, as I’ve found there’s a lot of judgement out there with little knowledge when it comes to the story behind the character ~ so here’s mine..

‘I was 16 when our family home went up in flames. It was traumatic to be trapped inside a burning house. Losing our home & all our belongings was one thing, but months later, cancer took my grandma who had raised me. It broke me.’

Roxanne admitted she did not see a therapist after being overwhelmed with grief, a decision that ultimately led to the actress attempting to take her own life

Candid: The actress, whose career was mortally damaged following a disastrous spell on Celebrity Big Brother in 2018, reached out to Instagram followers ahead of Mental Health Awareness Week on May 13

‘I didn’t have counselling,’ she explained. ‘Instead, struggling to cope with my grief & upset, I took measures into my own hands & naively overdosed on a handful of tablets from a school friend who told me it would numb the pain.

‘Two years later & desperate for stability I clung to the wrong guy at uni & ended up isolated in an abusive relationship. If it wasn’t for a friend who clocked my hidden bruises & helped me pack my bags, I can’t even imagine. I buried this awful episode but subconsciously it affected my trust in people.’

The actress says she buried herself in work and the ‘charade of success’ after becoming a household name as Jo Sugden in long-running ITV soap Emmerdale.

Looking back: Reflecting on her issues, for which she sought professional help, Roxanne, 36, detailed a series of harrowing incidents as their potential causes

Roxanne left the show in 2008 after a three-year run, but the following year she was dealt another blow after discovering a close friend had committed suicide.

Recalling the moment she was given the news, she wrote: ‘I remember falling to the floor & the room spinning. The shock was so bad I thought my heart was going to physically break.

The trauma led to her seeking help in 2018, shortly after her troubled appearance on Celebrity Big Brother, during which she wrongly claiming housemate Ryan Thomas punched her during a harmless play fight.

Controversy: The actress left the show’s Elstree compound in disgrace after wrongly claiming housemate Ryan Thomas punched her during a harmless play fight

‘I was diagnosed with PTSD & Panic Disorder,’ she admitted. ‘I’m now on medication & I see a specialist for EMDR & CBT therapy. I feel like I’m finally coming up for air. I now pause before reacting. I look to myself before others. I reframe.

‘So many are misunderstood because of their mental struggles. Life breaks some of us more than others & it’s down to us to put our pieces back together but we can’t do that alone.’

She added: ‘We aren’t lost, crazy, weird or toxic, we’re injured. But mental injuries don’t mend on their own. Please, if this is you, talk to your doctor.’

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